Wuhan City Hospital
Li Ziqing sat quietly in the hospital corridor, her eyes fixed on the flickering interface of the system's mission screen.
[Main Mission: Enter the Hospitality Industry – Build Your Own Hotel Chain]
Objective: Accumulate your first fortune—10 million yuan—through ventures in food and hospitality.
Daily Mission: Challenge the Unknown Palate
Reward: To be unlocked.
Today's mission was completely unexpected—and confusing.
Earlier that afternoon, when her mother received the hospital's call about Grandpa An being admitted, the two of them had immediately rushed over. While they were chatting with the old man in his ward, the system suddenly chimed in, triggering the daily mission without warning.
Now, sitting alone in the dim corridor with fluorescent lights humming overhead, Li Ziqing found herself getting frustrated. First, the so-called "Opportunity Coupon" had failed to deliver anything useful. And now this? A vague mission with no direction?
"What does it even mean by 'unknown palate'?" she muttered.
As if responding to her thoughts, the mechanical voice of the system echoed in her ears.
[Ding... The system's rewards are meticulously curated. Host, please do not question them. The day is not yet over.]
Li Ziqing let out a slow breath, trying to curb her irritation. Just as she was still contemplating the odd phrase, a small, thin hand—cold and as delicate as bamboo—quietly slipped into hers.
Startled, she looked up.
A little girl, no older than nine or ten, sat in a wheelchair beside her. Her head was completely bald, without even eyebrows or lashes. Her face was pale, lips slightly cracked, and her arms were so thin they barely filled the sleeves of her hospital gown.
She wasn't just sick—she was undergoing chemotherapy.
Li Ziqing's gaze softened instantly.
The girl's large eyes were fixed on the lunchbox in Li Ziqing's lap—the one she had brought along earlier. They had only brought two remaining sets from the day's lunch sales: one was already given to Grandpa An, and the other had remained in her hands. While thinking, she had accidentally pressed the lid, releasing the rich, savory aroma of braised ribs.
"Sister… can I have that?" the girl asked in a voice barely louder than a whisper. "LuLu is hungry."
Li Ziqing's heart clenched.
She immediately pulled the wheelchair gently over from the hallway into the open space beside the sofa. "Your name is LuLu?" she asked softly.
The girl nodded again, eyes never leaving the food. "Can I eat it?" she repeated, a little more urgently this time.
Li Ziqing opened the box of Chicken and Shittake mashrrom soup and offered a spoon, but quickly realized that LuLu lacked the strength to lift it on her own. Without hesitation, she began feeding the girl spoonful by spoonful.
As she fed her, Li Ziqing glanced around the corridor, but saw no one accompanying the child. Her brows furrowed.
"LuLu, where are the people with you?"
"Daddy went to work," the girl replied while sipping soup. "And Mommy… she's sleeping. She was very tired."
Li Ziqing's chest tightened at the answer. For a child to be left alone in a hospital spoke volumes about the strain the family was under.
She brushed a few drops of soup from the girl's lips and smiled gently. "Don't worry, LuLu. You can eat as much as you like."
Despite her frail appearance, LuLu's sweetness was undeniable. Her large eyes sparkled, her manner polite and endearing—anyone would be charmed by her.
After finishing the soup, LuLu's gaze moved to the braised ribs. "Can LuLu eat that too?" she asked shyly.
"Of course." Li Ziqing handed her the box without hesitation.
Now with a bit more strength, LuLu lifted the container and began eating by herself. Watching her eat so happily, Li Ziqing's heart overflowed with warmth. But a trace of unease crept in as well.
LuLu didn't stop at the ribs. She continued eating the rice and vegetables with an eager appetite. Although the food was nutritious and made with high-quality ingredients, Li Ziqing grew concerned—Should a child undergoing chemotherapy really be eating so much at once? But she didn't voice her worries. If anything, she could sense LuLu was truly hungry.
A few minutes later, LuLu finished her meal and looked up with a radiant smile. "Sister, thank you. The food was delicious… I haven't eaten this well in so many days."
Li Ziqing was dazed for a moment. That smile—it was so pure and bright, despite her condition.
"Why were you hungry?" she asked gently. "Good children shouldn't be picky. You should eat everything your parents give you."
Then she reached into her bag and took out a latte. It wasn't cold anymore—just slightly warm from room temperature.
"Here. Give this to your mommy. You said she was tired, right?"
LuLu's eyes lingered on the cup for a moment before she accepted it. A fleeting look of reluctance passed through her face, but she quickly masked it with a smile. "Okay, sister."
She turned her wheelchair and slowly rolled herself down the corridor.
Li Ziqing watched her go, the corners of her lips lifted in a soft smile. Just then, a sudden chime rang in her ears.
[Ding... Congratulations, Host. Daily Mission "Challenge the Unknown Palate" successfully completed.]
Reward unlocked: Full ownership of a commercial storefront on Jianghan Road Pedestrian Street, Central District, Wuhan. Property deeds and keys have been transferred to the system inventory.]
What?
A store front?
Jianghan Road?
Li Ziqing sat frozen on the sofa, her fingers still curled loosely around the now-empty lunchbox, the gentle hum of the hospital corridor fading into a dull, muffled blur.
A storefront… on Jianghan Road?
Her heartbeat surged.
She blinked rapidly, half-expecting the system to retract its statement, to say it had made an error. But the interface in her mind remained still—cold, mechanical, and absolutely certain.
Full ownership. Property deeds. Keys. Stored in system inventory.
For a moment, Li Ziqing genuinely didn't know how to react.
This wasn't just a shop. Jianghan Road was one of the most expensive commercial zones in all of Wuhan. She'd once walked down that pedestrian street, watching luxury brands glitter behind polished glass windows, the street alive with crowds, cameras, and cash. Even small boutiques paid sky-high rents just to survive there.
But now… she owned one?
A laugh bubbled up in her throat, startled and shaky. It was absurd. Unreal.
"Just for feeding a child?" she whispered under her breath, her voice barely audible. "What kind of mission reward is this?"
[Ding… The system's missions are never random. The challenge was not simply about flavor—it was about recognizing an unknown palate, not just in taste, but in circumstance. Hunger doesn't always wear the same face. Sometimes it comes bald, thin, and smiling through pain.]
Her gaze fell to her hands, still trembling faintly in her lap.
No—this wasn't a game anymore.
She had just acquired tangible real estate. A foothold. A base.
And yet, beyond the surprise, a more sobering realization began to settle into her chest.
She was a business owner now.
"System," she murmured, her voice steadier now. "What's with the reward? Didn't you say you wanted me to succeed on my own? How does a high-end storefront fit into that?"
[Ding… The system is committed to your success, Host—but not through direct financial handouts. No raw cash will be given. However, technical expertise, strategic tools, and well-calibrated opportunities will be provided to support your efforts.]
"So… the storefront is a strategic tool?"
[Ding… Correct. Every mission and every reward is meticulously calculated to align with your long-term growth. Even today's challenge had a very specific purpose.]
"And that means I can receive anything from you… except money—as long as it serves a purpose?"
[Ding… Precisely, Host.]
Li Ziqing exhaled, tension leaving her shoulders in a slow wave. She was still overwhelmed—but now her mind was beginning to turn. Strategize.
But before she could probe the system further, she noticed movement in the corner of her eye—her mother was walking out of Grandpa An's ward, her face pale and drawn.
Alarmed, Ziqing immediately rose and walked toward her. "Mom, what happened? You look so pale. Is everything okay?"
Li Jianfang shook her head and sighed, her voice low. "It's your Grandpa An. He's under a lot of stress. No one is willing to purchase the four old courtyard houses, and he's growing desperate."
Li Ziqing frowned. "But why didn't you tell him about the demolition plans? His courtyards are so close to the old lake area. With the upcoming development, he'll likely get six times the compensation."
"I did tell him," her mother replied, eyes clouded with worry. "But… he can't wait that long."
She hesitated before continuing, her voice dropping.
"The truth is… he lied to Grandpa Mu. He's not trying to buy a house in Shanghai at all. His eldest son already owns a large home there, and his youngest lives in a university compound—he's a professor."
"Then what's going on?"
Li Jianfang sighed again, the weight of the situation showing in the lines on her face. "His eldest son's business was running smoothly until recently. Then his finance manager disappeared—ran off with a significant sum of company funds. Now, only half of the capital is intact. If the remaining funds aren't raised within the next few days, the company will have to shut down."
Li Ziqing's eyes widened in disbelief. "So that's why he's so desperate to sell the property…"
Her mother nodded. "Yes. He's trying everything, but no one's biting. The properties are old, and the location—while valuable—is too traditional for most investors. And he simply doesn't have time to wait for the government's compensation. His son's pressuring him too. I want to help, I really do—but even though the company is small, the amount they need is nearly one million yuan."
Li Ziqing fell silent.
A million yuan.
"But A-Qing, you mustn't tell anyone," Li Jianfang said softly, her voice low and earnest. "He's lying to everyone… but only because he's trying to preserve his son's dignity."
Li Ziqing nodded silently, her eyes thoughtful. She understood. Perhaps too well. There was a particular kind of pride in men like Grandpa An—one that didn't bend easily, even under the weight of desperation.
"Let's go home," her mother said, reaching for her bag.
"You go ahead, Mom," Li Ziqing replied gently. "I'll come a little later."
Li Jianfang paused, clearly wanting to ask more, but in the end, she simply nodded and turned away without a word.
---
Half an hour later, Li Ziqing stepped out of the cab and found herself standing at the entrance of Jianghan Road.
The late afternoon sun gleamed against rows of elegant façades, casting long, golden shadows over polished stone streets. The air was alive with movement—shoppers gliding in and out of boutiques, voices mingling with street musicians' melodies, and the subtle rustle of high-end shopping bags.
This was Wuhan's crown jewel, its famed pedestrian boulevard. A seamless blend of colonial-era European architecture and sleek modern commercial towers, Jianghan Road exuded an old-world grandeur paired with cosmopolitan flair. Ornate balconies and wrought-iron railings coexisted with glass-paneled showrooms and LED billboards advertising luxury fashion houses.
It had often been called the Champs-Élysées of Wuhan, a symbol of prestige, power, and wealth. Much like Shanghai's Nanjing Road, Jianghan was where the city's elite came to be seen—where shopping wasn't just an act, but a performance. A ritual. Every corner here whispered status, every storefront was a stage.
Li Ziqing had walked this road before—as an outsider. Just one among many who could only admire from behind invisible lines drawn by money and social capital.
But now…
She owned a piece of it.
The moment Li Ziqing stepped Infront the storefront she now owned, she came to a stunned halt.
Her breath caught.
This… this wasn't what she had imagined at all.
It stood boldly at the very curve of Jianghan Road—where the famed pedestrian street split from the motor road, right at its intersection with bustling Mingxin Street. A true corner jewel in the crown of the district.
The building was triangular, wedge-shaped, reminiscent of the iconic Flatiron Building in New York City. Three stories tall, constructed with stone and steel, its architecture bore a timeless dignity. Elegant cornices, tall arched windows, and an understated modern finish gave it an imposing yet graceful presence. It commanded attention.
Li Ziqing had assumed the "storefront" would be a modest little shop, tucked between boutiques or buried within an old alleyway. But this? This was prime real estate, a diamond-grade property positioned at the very heart of Wuhan's most prestigious commercial strip.
A thrill of disbelief rushed through her. Her lips parted slightly, her eyes wide in awe as she slowly took in the full height of the building.
"This... is mine?" she whispered.
Her fingers trembled slightly as she slid one hand into her pocket. In her mind, she focused quietly—System, retrieve property keys from inventory.
[Ding… Retrieving keys. Item: Commercial Property Keys – Jianghan Road Unit. Transferring to Host's hand.]
The next moment, her fingers closed around a cool, metallic object.
Still stunned, she approached the sleek black entrance door, keys in hand, ready to insert them into the lock—
"Excuse me, miss!" a voice called from behind.
Startled, Li Ziqing turned around swiftly.